On Sunday night I woke several times with terrible leg cramps in my right calf. I haven’t experienced them this pregnancy and they were the type that makes you leap up in the bed, rubbing furiously! I had a check up this week with my GP anyway so mentioned them (as it was like I pulled a muscle in my calf and have been limping) She just said it was normal and not to worry.

You should always mention leg cramps with your care provider, as for a small percentage of women there is a risk of developing a clot. This is especially important If they are persistent or if your legs are swollen or tender in one spot

This week I finalised my birth preferences both for a VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Caesarean) and one for a Gentle Caesarean Birth. Both Mim and Mary were so helpful with feedback to keep my language open, while still being firm with my wishes. I have supported so many families with creating their birth preferences but it can be difficult to do your own when the time comes, so feedback from my Doulas was much appreciated. We have written a really helpful blog post, with tips to help you create yours: “How to Create Birth Preferences.”

This week, while writing my birth preferences I began to think about what I would like to do with my placenta. There are many options open to women:

Do nothing (the hospital will dispose of it)

Bring it home and plant it in the garden under a tree

Encapsulate it with a Placenta Encapsulator (preferably one who has been trained with IPEN or some similar self regulatory body which ensure those trained with them operate to certain standards).

Eat it raw in a smoothie

Donate it to a search and rescue organisation

I was debating planting an apple tree with it but thought I would love to do something worth while with it. To me the placenta is such an amazing organ, that was created to keep my baby nourished during pregnancy – so having it discarded was not a nice thought. On my research I found out that search and rescue dogs need human tissue to be trained. I reached out over email to www.irishsearchdogs.com and the lovely chairperson Glen got back to me to say they would be delighted to accept my placenta.

He explained that they only need a tiny amount to train each dog and they have found it to be very successful for both land and water. This would hopefully help so many families get comfort in finding their missing loved ones so they could be laid to rest. Thrilled with this prospect I have Paul all set to take it home after birth and freeze it until Glen and his team can come and collect it. I will write after baby is born to let you all know how that went!

A lovely meal out in the Cedar Tree in Dublin

On Thursday Mary came up from Cork to join me at a business meeting for DoulaCare Ireland. It went really well and I am so proud of everything we have achieved so far. We work really well together and I feel our mix of skills and knowledge magnify our talent. After the meeting we had a gorgeous dinner at The Cedar Tree in town. The food was amazing and I would highly recommend it! I had home made lemonade which was delicious and we shared a vegetarian mezze platter of the most gorgeous Lebanese food. We were both starving and tucked in with gusto, the mix of flavours was unreal. Yummy!! We followed it with one of my favourite desserts Baklava. The time flew by and before we knew it we had spent 4 hours there! I dropped Mary back to her mothers (who lives in Dublin) and we made plans for the weekend. . . . . Our DoulaCare Ireland CPD day is finally here!

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Week 30: What Is Happening To Your Baby

Your baby's eyesight is still developing (it's still not great right now and won't be even after they are born - it will develop further outside the womb).

The languno they have been covered in (the soft hair covering their body), is beginning to disappear as your baby's brain and fat cells are now capable of regulating their body temperature.

The vernix (the white greasy substance that was covering your baby's skin) is also starting to disappear now.

At 30 weeks your baby's bone marrow is now making their red blood cells. This is a very important step as it means your baby will be more able for life outside the womb when born.

Week 30: What Might Be Happening To your Body

Some women find they have very intense and strange dreams at this stage of their pregnancy. Perhaps it is a result of all the hormones in your body - we don't really know!

Lots of pregnancy symptoms you thought had disaapreaded for good after you got through the first trimester reappear around this time (such as tiredness, tender breasts and the need to go to the toilet all the time).

You may find you are suffering from shortness of breath as they lungs get squashed by your growing baby who is still high up around your rib cage this week.

Notice your belly getting hard? You are having Warm Up Surges (or Braxton Hicks as they are more commonly known). They tend to happen more often after exercise or when you are tired/dehydrated so make sure to rest and drink water as often as possible. They will go away after rest (and if they don't do let your care provider know)

Your feet may go up a size - this is due to your ligaments relaxing in preparation for pregnancy. You may need to invest in some new shoes as a result!

Week 30: Pregnancy Tip

During your pregnancy you will have 2 antenatal visits with your doula - who will help you draw up your birth preferences, show your partner comfort measures for your labour and listen to your hopes and fears for your upcoming birth

Have you thought about who is going to support you during your labour? Have you considered hiring a doula for some extra support for you and for your birth partner? A doula is not there to replace your partner but to provide an extra pair of hands and an extra resource while you birth your baby. They can be hugely helpful throughout your pregnancy - someone you know who will be at the end of the phone or just an email away if you need them. Your doula is there to offer evidence based information and support. You will usually have 2 antenatal visits with your doula before baby arrives. These visits will each be approx 2 - 3 hours long and your doula will help you draw up your birth preferences, teasing out why you might want or not want a certain intervention (always once all is well with baby), talk about what you are hoping for in your labour, offer you information and support, show your partner some useful physical comfort measures and offer you reassurance and a listening ear. They can also show you how to use your birth ball, brainstorm about where to set up your early labour nesting room and help you pack your hospital bag (if you are going to have a hospital birth). If you are having a home birth they will often show you how to set up the birthing pool if you are using one. During labour they will be at the end of the phone supporting you and when you need them they will drive over to you or meet you both at the hospital. There they will be a reassuring presence - a familiar face in the busy hospital for you both. While you partner may be happy to be hands on, they may never have attended a birth before whereas your doula will be used to the hospital. Here at DoulaCare Ireland we have a team of doulas to support you and can take the stress out of looking for the perfect match - as we know our doulas intimately we can choose for you (so far we have never been wrong!). Pop us an email - info@doulacare.ie if you think you would like to find out more. Also check out our Instagram account. One of our current birth clients is sharing her story throughout her pregnancy on working with a birth doula and will be doing regular InstaStories which we will be keeping on our favourites for a while.

So this week I had a full week of postpartum clients and scheduled phone calls to follow up on. I love that I am feeling better in myself and can still be out supporting families. We have a great mix of clients at the moment (with different backgrounds, ages of children and personalities) So no two days are the same and I really enjoy chatting away with each client, catching up on their news and supporting them with the help they need to make life with a new baby that bit less stressful.

Picture of the Queue in the Rotunda that circulated on social media around the same week I attended

I had my 24 week check up in the Rotunda public clinic, where I was due to speak with their community midwife team to see if they will accept me. I arrived to an unbelievable queue. Not only was the waiting room to check in full but there was a queue of pregnant women standing all down the hall as far as the clinic waiting room. There was at least 40 women ahead of me.... just to check in!! I really was shocked as some of the women were heavily pregnant and struggling to stand in a stuffy corridor. (It was freezing outside so most of us were bundled up too which didn’t help ;)

Eventually I made my way to the check-in desk and I was told to take a number and I would be called by consultant. I explained I was due to speak with the team and so she told me to find a midwife at the nurses station to chat to. I did find a midwife and I was told very bluntly that there was no appointment for me to plead my case as there was no point. As Leon was 4.53kg they would not accept me. I then asked about the NBAC clinic and I was told their cut off point was 4kg. I was so stunned by this attitude. I questioned why, in a healthy pregnancy I could not have antenatal care in the community, because one of my babies was over their criteria?? She simply said it was out of their scope of practice, which is absurd. All they do is check my pee, my blood pressure and measure my bump. Surely they could do that and if they were concerned about anything I would happily go to the hospital. There was no talking to them. I did ask why I had to wait until 24 weeks to find this out, as when I spoke with the community midwife team, when choosing which hospital to book, they didn’t seem to have a problem at all. Again very unhelpful, I received an 'it is what it is' type answer.

I was bitterly disappointed. I wasn’t sure if I was going to cry or boil over with rage, not just for me but for all the other pregnant women using this hospital. Women do so much better with midwifery led care and it is such a shame that a previous “big baby” can put a woman who has a healthy baby and pregnancy in every way into high risk for her antenatal care. I sat another hour and a half waiting to be called, fuming over the system and how women are treated.

When the consultant called me I went in, still bubbling under the surface. He seemed to think that because the baby is a girl she will be smaller and there is no way she will be 10lbs (surely this is not evidence based at all but interesting to hear a total conflict of their reasoning for not allowing me the care I requested) I spoke with him about my options and he did a similar thing explaining ‘hospital policy’ and so forth. He did say I had a 90% chance of vaginal birth as I laboured well with both boys and reached the second stage with Leon before a caesarean was required. He reassured me that there would be no pressure on me for a caesarean birth and hopefully everything should go as planned.

I felt a bit better about this at least, but as I have seen time and time again with doula clients – everything is grand until 38 weeks arrive and then the discussions begin about caesarean, risk with VBAC, big baby and so on. We will just have to wait and see what happens. He said he would like to see me again in 4 weeks so I queued again for 15 minutes and asked for an appointment. The lady was so unhelpful. I was asking about times that I could work childcare and she said I would just get the next available slot.

I decided there was no way on Earth I would do that queue every appointment, so I walked over to the semi-private clinic to see would they take me on. The receptionist there was so lovely. She couldn’t have been more accommodating. Booked me in for a date and time that suited me and cancelled my public appointments. She even moved my GTT to the semi private clinic so I could "relax there, as the rooms are much quieter" - I wanted to hug her!

So I left feeling deflated but glad to have the public system behind me. I will think about my options over Christmas. I may make a few phone calls to the Coombe and see what is available there.

After a crazy week it was wonderful to get out for the weekend. Paul and I took the kids to Causey Farm Santa Experience. It was really amazing, they made it such a special experience and the kids loved it. We left feeling very festive and even got a take away as a treat on the way home. We all snuggled up after to watch a movie and I for one so needed this day to just switch off and remember what is important.

The kids went to Butlers chocolate factory with my mam and her partner on Sunday, which they loved. They came home delighted with their chocolate santas. While they were at that I did a mad dash to Blanchardstown shopping centre to get some Christmas shopping done. My tummy has been a bit sick the last few days so I had to keep stopping for breaks but I got the bulk of it done.

Baby is moving around lots and you can now see my tummy moving with her. Paul gets a little freaked out by this which I find hilarious - he thinks it’s like an alien LOL. He likes to know she’s moving and doing well but doesn’t want to see it!

Until next time... Jen x

Week 24: What Is Happening To Your Baby

Your baby is the size of a cantaloupe melon this week

Your baby is really starting to put on weight and fill out this week and they are about the size of a cantaloupe now.

Their lungs are developing branches in the respiratory tract as well as cells that produce surfactant, a substance that will help his air sacs inflate once they are born and start breathing in air.

Your baby's skin is becoming much pinker and less see-through as they develop.

Your baby's brain is also growing rapidly now and will continue to develop at a enormous rate over the next few weeks

Week 24: What Might Be Happening To Your Body

If there are any concerns about Gestational Diabetes you will usually have your Glucost Tolerance Test around this week. You can read more about it in our blog post here

You may have lots of backache now as your muscles are having to work harder to carry the extra weight. You could try getting some body work done with a physio or osteo, or treat yourself to a nice massage (just make sure the therapist is trained in pregnancy massage and can accommodate you).

Dry eyes can be a symptom some women suffer from in pregnancy. This can be accompanied by irritation and a feeling of grittiness. Talk to your optician about how you can make this less uncomfortable

Some women will suffer from Piles/Haemhorrhoids during their pregnancy - they can be the result of becoming constipated and increasing the amount of fibre and fluids in your diet can help. It can also help to avoid sitting for long periods of time. Talk to your GP if they are severe as you may need some medication to help relieve the pain.

Week 24: Pregnancy Tip

There is a huge amount of breastfeeding support around Ireland - find out where you can access support before baby arrives

Are you hoping to breastfeed? If yes start looking around for a good breastfeeding class you can attend. You may find your hospital run these but they can book up fast, and it's really helpful to take a class before baby arrives. It's also useful to find out where your supports are and get in touch with them beforehand as well - this way you will know who to contact if you should need some extra support after. Friends of Breastfeeding offer a Buddy system, whereby a trained Mum will come out and support you in the early days of breastfeeding. It's such a great idea and completely free - so definitely worth booking. Cuidiu have regular breastfeeding support groups around Ireland as well as trained breastfeeding counsellors who are available by phone to provide support and a listening ear. (Both Mary and Jen are Cuidiu Breastfeeding Counsellors). La Leche League also run support groups around Ireland have their Leaders are available to offer breastfeeding support as well. So do make contact and if you can at all once you are on maternity leave, pop into your local group and say hi. Pregnant women are always more than welcome along and it's nice to meet other Mums who are breastfeeding before your baby arrives.

What a magical week this has been. We went on our trip to Zakynthos and it was wonderful. The weather was mixed and it was a little colder than we hoped but it was lovely to be together as a family and not have to worry about work or normal day to day things.

Unwinding in Greece

We stayed at Alykanas Village Hotel and it was a real family resort. We went all inclusive and we were spoiled with choice at each meal. Unfortunately my sickness is still pretty bad so I could not enjoy it as much as I would have liked. I did eat little bits of the yummy things (putting a spoonful of each dish on my plate to do a taste test and see what one my body would allow) There was lots of running to throw up but it was great to relax.

The apartments were a perfect family destination. There were several pools. One dedicated mini water park with slides and a ship to play on. Super child friendly. They had a kids club running events. The all inclusive meant the kids could potter over and grab a drink or ice cream whenever they wanted. We could also walk straight from the snack bar down onto the beach. On our strip of beach there were lots of water activities. Paul and Seth enjoyed jet skies and we all took out a 4 person pedal boat. The weather wasn't great this week so the pools were cold but if you travelled earlier in the year I am sure it would be a big hit with kids and adults of all ages.

Seth got stuck into the Greek food but Leon basically survived the week on chips, cucumber, bananas and ice cream (even though there were many options – he insisted they didn’t taste like normal food!!!! Kids!)

Both boys enjoyed meeting lots of local animals, including one really friendly cat who had two tiny kittens. The animals were well fed this week anyway! They also found frogs, lizards, dogs and enjoyed some pony riding.

The big news of the week was Leon learning to swim. He is chuffed with himself! And of course we are super proud.

Seth and Leon relaxing in Greece

I spent a large part of the week curled up reading. I haven’t read a book for pleasure in a long time. My Map of You by Isabelle Broom was candy floss for the brain, just a nice light book. Not like my usual ones for courses or work. Nice romantic story with a few twists. Few passionate moments to spice things up too! The author described the island perfectly and you could experience a little holiday from home when reading.

When we returned the kids of course told everyone their highlights.... finding a frog on the beach, the Greek dancing night, the cats....and...oh yes and Mam having to jump out of a taxi and spew all over the place LOL They were suitably impressed with the viscosity it came and the gross factor had them chatting about it for days. Thanks lads!

I’m still in that - she could be pregnant or maybe she’s just fat stage - so I’m not sure what people thought of my in my swim suit but sure what can you do!

We will all be hitting the ground running now that we are back. It’s amazing how fast the week goes.

Week 12: What is Happening to Baby this Week:

Your baby's digestive tract is starting to practise and is doing contraction movements of the muscles (these are the muscles that will push food through the digestive track when baby is born).

Your baby can suck on their thumb now and scratch their nose

From now until 18 weeks is an important time in your baby's brain development

You should be able to hear your baby's heartbeat at an ultrasound appt this week.

Week 12: What Might be Happening to Your Body

You are usually starting to feel better by week 12 - your energy levels may be increasing again and that fatigue and exhaustion is diminishing.

Many women start to relax into their pregnancy by this week as they pass through the first trimester

Some women may notice changes to their facial skin - with patches of pigmentation on their cheeks, nose or forehead. It is not dangerous and nothing to be worried about. To lessen the changes use a good sunblock regularly as it's more likely to happen to women who are exposed to a lot of sunlight.

Week 12: Pregnancy Tip

Now that your energy levels are beginning to improve and hopefully any nausea is clearing up, you may want to get back to exercising again (if you had to put it on hold). Staying active is important throughout your pregnancy and exercise is recommended for most women. If you have any doubts do check with your GP but in general exercise such as swimming, Pilates, Yoga or walking are encouraged for healthy low risk women throughout their pregnancy. Don't overdo it though, and make sure to drink lots of water and listen to your body as you get back to activity.

DoulaCare Ireland

Ireland's leading Doula Agency, offering care, support and encouragement through your pregnancy, birth & early parenting journey. We are there every step of the way, supporting YOUR choices with evidence based information, knowledge and skills to ensure you can make informed decisions. Birth Doula Care & Postpartum Doula Care throughout Ireland